Nov 8 (Reuters)
- Walmart will kick off its holiday sales rush at 8 p.m. on
Thanksgiving, its earliest start ever, and will guarantee that
those who line up can buy a trio of gadgets as it places a big
bet that shoppers are ready to spend this holiday season.

The holiday season is critical for Wal-Mart
Stores Inc , the world's largest retailer, and its Walmart U.S.
division. More than a quarter of its annual sales come during the
holiday season.

"We bought deep, very deep, and we bought deep on items that
matter to our customers," said Walmart U.S. Chief Merchandising
and Marketing Officer Duncan Mac Naughton.

Retailers are coming up with fresh ways to entice shoppers this
year, as holiday spending is only expected to rise 4.1 percent,
according to the National Retail Federation, down from 5.6
percent growth in 2011.

Walmart kicked off layaway a month earlier than last year, in
mid-September. Layaway allows shoppers to keep a product on hold
at the store and pay for it over time. Chains such as Walmart and
Target
have already published toy catalogs.

While the holiday shopping season traditionally kicks off on the
day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, the push to sell
Christmas presents and other items has been moving earlier and
earlier in recent years.

Retailers say that shoppers want earlier deals.

"'We got customer feedback that says 'I like to shop earlier so I
can go to bed earlier,'" Mac Naughton said.

Thanksgiving will be observed on Nov. 22 this year.

SPECIAL OFFERS

At 8 p.m. local time on Thanksgiving, Walmart's offers will
include deals on video games starting at $10 and home appliances
such as a Crock Pot slow cooker and a Mr. Coffee maker for $9.44
each.

Walmart also said it would guarantee that three items will be
available that night to people standing in line in its stores
between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving, though the items are
not among the hottest new gadgets of the year.

Those shoppers are guaranteed access to an Apple
iPad 2 16GB with Wi-Fi, a March 2011 version, priced at $399 with
a $75 Walmart Gift Card; a 32-inch Emerson 720p LCD TV at
$148, $80 below the usual price; and an LG
Blu-ray player for $38 that Walmart does not typically sell but
said goes for $68 to $79 elsewhere.

After a round of specials focused on electronics at 10 p.m.
Walmart will take a break from special deals, giving shoppers a
chance to get some rest or perhaps visit other stores.

Walmart now keeps its stores open overnight between Thanksgiving
and Black Friday after an employee was trampled to death when a
Long Island store opened on Black Friday in 2008.

Last year, key competitors including Target Corp began their
special offers at 12 a.m. on Friday.

Other items to be offered during the night include brands such as
Vizio, Samsung,
Nikon,
Nook and
Beats by Dr. Dre.

"I think we have the brands that our customers want," Mac
Naughton said.

A variety of items from Goodyear
tires to a Singer Sewing Machine go on sale at 5 a.m. on Black
Friday.

Last year, Target, Best
Buy, Macy's and
Kohl's were
closed on Thanksgiving and kicked off Black Friday sales at the
stroke of midnight, their earliest starts ever. Best Buy Co Inc,
Macy's and Kohl's all plan to open at midnight again, while
Target has not given its plans yet.

Sears
Holdings Corp's Sears and Kmart stores will be open on
Thanksgiving Day. Last year, Sears kept its discount chain Kmart
open on Thanksgiving but the Sears chain was closed.

This year, Sears stores will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day
and stay open overnight until 10 p.m. on Black Friday. Kmart has
been open on Thanksgiving for the last 21 years.

In 2011, Walmart began with deals on toys, home items and
clothing at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving, followed by electronics
deals at midnight and other offers at 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 25.

Most Walmart stores will be open on Thanksgiving, unless they are
required to close by local or state law.

Walmart has faced protests in various U.S. cities lately and some
workers have planned to walk off the job on Black Friday. Such
actions are being sponsored by groups including a contingent of
workers called OUR Walmart that receives union support.